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Tonight I went to Mile High Stadium (uh...Invesco Field) to watch a double header of the world's sport, soccer. The first game feature Major League Soccer teams the Colorado Rapids facing off against Chivas USA. The main event of the evening, however, was Mexican powerhouse Club América taking on Mexican First Division runners-up Club San Luis.
Make no mistake, the Colorado Rapids' "Hispanic Heritage Night" was about Mexican football, not Major League Soccer. The place was dominated by those from south of our border, and all announcements made in the second game were done in Spanish. Long lines and tons of traffic preceded the game, something quite unusual for professional soccer games in the United States.
The Rapids-Chivas game had third place of the Western Division on the line. The game would settle nothing, however, as the two teams would tie each other 3-3 in a game that had each team score a goal in penalty time (the time period after the end of a half that takes into account injuries and referee actions).
Juan Francisco Palencia would score the first goal of the game for Chivas. Chivas rookie Jonathan Bornstein scored two goals today, including one at the 91st minute (the end of regulation time) that appeared to put the game away for Chivas. Every time Chivas would score, however, the Rapids would answer. First it was Israeli national team player Dedi Ben Dayan, and then former U.S. team member Clint Mathis. Finally...
...rookie Jacob Peterson secured a tie in the 93rd minute with this goal.
The final two goals by the Rapids were impressive due to the fact that Colorado player Mike Petke was ejected with a red card midway through the second half due to a foul that took a Chivas player off on a stretcher.
Unfortunately, my favorite Rapids player Ante Razov (who I interviewed on this site when he was a part of the NY/NJ Metrostars) was suspended due to the fact that he accrued his sixth yellow card in a previous game, something not allowed in MLS. This didn't seem to hurt Chivas, as it was his replacement, Bornstein, that scored two goals (including the one pictured in this photo above).
#11, English-born player Terry Cooke, was named the Rapids player of the game.
The crowd reaction was interesting at times. Some saw this as a U.S.-Mexico thing and rooted for Chivas, with many in the crowd chanting "Chi-vas...Chi-vas". Others, however, saw things in the club universe, and the popular Club America's fans knew that they could not root for a team related to Chivas de Guadalajara, the team's biggest rival in Mexican football.
Everyone was nice to the Rapids mascot though.
When Peterson of the Rapids kicked the tie goal (above) with about 30 seconds left in penalty time, the crowd seemed to go wild.
However, that could have been due to the Rapids Cheerleaders. Sometimes it was hard to watch the game.
After the MLS game, "legendary local band" Mariachi Vásquez performed their brand of traditional Mexican music while teams warmed up.
When they were done, it was time for the main event.
This was what the crowd of 28,215 was waiting for...Mexican football.
The Club América Las Aguilas (The Eagles) were much more popular than the Club San Luis Tuneros (which is a reference to the tuna fruit farmers who live and work in the surrounding area).
Eagles against fruit farmers...who do you think is going to win?
Yellow Eagles colors filled the stadium. Club de Futbol América's popularity is not without reason. The team was founded on October 18, 1916, and since then they have won 14 local Mexican championships, 6 Mexican Cup championships, 5 Mexican Champions Cups, 2 Interamerican Cups and one CONCACAF Champions Cup. This has helped make them one of the most popular clubs in Mexico.
Club América will represent CONCACAF (the international organization of North American, Central American, and Caribbean soccer) at this year’s FIFA World Club Championship, which will be played in Japan in December.
The Eagles, in blue, dominated the game, winning 3-0.
Argentinean player Claudio Lopez scored in the 13th minute.
Duilio Davino made it 2-0 in the 61st minute with a header.
Paraguayan player Salvador Cabañas made it 3-0 five minutes later with another header that had an amazing arc that managed to go over the goalkeepers hand yet right into the top of the net.
San Luis, literally, was out of America's league. The skill America's players brought to the game was very impressive. In this instance, the America player ran right through three San Luis defenders to get a shot on goal.
San Luis did have a number of chances, all of them repelled by America's goalkeeper. This was a sweet save that looked almost sure to go in before he hit the ball.
Ironically enough, both Mexican teams, who play in different leagues, are owned by the same company: media giant Televisa.
Lopez was named man of the match by fans watching the match.
The fans came home happy, as did I. It was nice to see soccer played in America with such an energetic crowd. Now if the rest of the country can catch the fever...
RELATED LINKS:
MLS Article on the Rapids-Chivas Game
Denver Post Article on the Club America-San Luis Game
Photo Essay: Soccer Fans (U.S. vs. Panama)
Why Don't Americans Like Soccer?
Q&A With MLS Star Ante Razov
Things To Do In New York: The NY/NJ Metrostars (now the Red Bull)
Greg Kinnear twice in two days - phew! And in both movies he is demanding winning attitudes from those around him...
Just got home from seeing Invincible with Mark Wahlberg... another wonderful movie! True story of a South Philly part-time bartender who ended up playing three seasons with the Eagles. Like most sports films, you leave the theater feeling you can accomplish just about anything so long as you put your mind to it.
That's why, tomorrow, I'm heading over to Invesco Field - gonna give Plummer a run for his money... sure, they can all laugh at my age and stuff, but I'll show them! Just let me get my hands wrapped around the ball, that's ALL I'm asking - just a shot! You'll see - I'll show ya... I'll show ALL of you!!
Okay, sorry - I've returned to reality... So, Invincible - it's a great film. Go see it. Just make sure you are NOT seated in front of "Barry" - the little kid who kept kicking the back of my seat thru the whole movie...
Could've been worse - could have been spitting M&M's at my balding head...
Go Eagles!
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